Becoming Unstoppable in the Industry

This interview is part of a comprehensive report on the experiences of Black professionals in the gaming sector. Del Walker, a principal artist at Wildlight and former senior artist at Naughty Dog, reflects on his 14-year journey in the industry. Despite facing similar challenges as his peers, Walker's experience and seniority have given him a unique perspective. He began his career in 2010, transitioning from graphic design to game art at De Montfort University. A chance meeting with a mentor, who was a gay artist at Neversoft, provided valuable guidance and direction. Walker also credits online communities, such as PolyCount, for helping him develop his skills through crowdsourced mentoring. However, he acknowledges that the problems faced by marginalized individuals do not disappear upon entering the industry. Walker describes the need to become comfortable with being around people who are different, which took him a long time to achieve. He also highlights the issue of systemic racism, which can lead to slower career progression for Black professionals. Walker believes that his expertise is top-level, but has faced doubts about his leadership qualities in the past. He attributes this to a combination of factors, including his background and the industry's lack of diversity. Walker is cautious about becoming an advocate for racial issues, fearing that it may overshadow his identity as a professional. Instead, he focuses on promoting his skills and expertise in game art. He emphasizes the importance of making oneself 'undeniable' in the industry, which means developing exceptional skills to overcome the additional barriers faced by Black developers. Walker acknowledges that the threshold for success is different for Black people, who often have to work harder to achieve the same level of recognition. He believes that the industry has become more diverse, but still has a long way to go. Walker values being part of a community of developers, but stresses the importance of genuine connections rather than using networking as a means to advance one's career. To make the industry more accessible to Black people, Walker suggests that companies should allocate budget for junior roles, which would help to address diversity issues and provide opportunities for marginalized individuals to enter the industry.